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Man indicted on murder charge for Stonehenge shooting in west Athens

Charles Rodney Wilson

A Clarke County grand jury this week indicted an Athens man for murder in connection with the shooting death of another man three months ago in western Athens-Clarke County.

Charles Rodney Wilson, 23, was charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, according to the indictment filed Tuesday in Clarke County Superior Court.

Wilson is accused of murder for allegedly killing 26-year-old Jesse Franklin Howard with a single gunshot to the head.

Athens-Clarke police have not revealed possible motives for the slaying.

The shooting happened the night of Oct. 25, outside a home on Old Monroe Road in the Stonehenge neighborhood, and police soon after identified Wilson as the suspect.

Crime Stoppers had offered a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to Wilson’s capture, but the man surrendered to authorities five days after the shooting.

Wilson was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon because of a 2007 conviction on a cocaine possession charge, according to the indictment.